TDWH: “Mexican Madonna,” early Dixie Chicks

Highlights of Weekenders of five, 10 and 15 years ago; TDWH stands for “This Date in Weekender History,” not “Tours Don’t Work Here.”

Sept. 10, 2004

MUSIC, EVENTS

 Incubus at SBC Center: The band hit town in support of the politically charged, chart-topping “A Crow Left of the Murder,” which featured a raw, live-in-the-studio sound. “For me, personally, music’s cooler when it sounds like humans are playing,” guitarist Mike Einziger told the Los Angeles Times.

 Ministry at Sunset Station: Incubus wasn’t the only band to roll into town on a political message. Ministry was on its EvilDoEr Tour, and band leader Al Jourgensen pulled no punches about where he stood. “I am angry about the state of the nation and the impact on the global community and America’s status in the world today, and the actions taken by the Bush Administration to breed international hatred and contempt,” he said via e-mail because of laryngitis. “We were in Europe in May and I got to hear and see firsthand the amount of fear that President Bush is generating in the world.”

 Lowrider Evolution Tour: The low and slow four-wheeled works of art filled the Alamodome. One owner, who converted a $500 1950 Chevy DeLuxe in to a $15,000 beauty, said his car love extended to other aspects of his life. “I’m a 100 percent low rider for life,” he told staff writer Jessica Belasco. “Everything I buy, I put as close to the ground as possible.”

MOVIES

The early-September crop was the usual lackluster mishmash. Express-News critic Larry Ratliff played catch-up with the previous week’s two no-shows, “The Cookout” and “Paparazzi,” and discovered, to no one’s surprise, that they sucked.

New this week:

 “Resident Evil: Apocalypse”: Back when they were screening “Resident Evil” movies in advance for critics, Ratliff actually sorta liked the sequel to the 2002 original, whicn found Milla Jovovich battling a wave of zombies running through Raccoon City, the result of a second evil experiment.

 “Cellular”: Kim Basinger is a mom kidnapped by thugs (including Jason Statham) and held in an attic. For good measure, they smashed her phone, but she manages to get a call out anyway. Directed by David R. Ellis (“Final Destination 2”).

ALSO OPENING: The caper flick “Criminal,” starring John C. Reilly and Diego Luna; and the futuristic DNA drama “Code 46,” with Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton.

Sept. 10, 1999

MUSIC, EVENTS

 Diez y Seis festivals: Is it just me, or did this town go more all out for Mexican Independence celebrations a decade ago? This year’s offerings included the Guadalupe Street Parade and Festival, with a three-mile parade route and more than 75,000 expected; a salsa cookoff in Sunken Garden Theatre featuring Lisa Lisd of Cult Jam fame; the Conjunto Stampede at Mission County Park; a three-day bash at Market Square; and a couple of charreadas.

(File Photo)

Can’t imagine why Alejandra Guzman attracted such attention when she played S.A. in 1999.

 Alejandra Guzman: The pop-rock singer known as the Mexican Madonna, who played Planeta Mexico, had been controversial for having a child out of wedlock and for posing seminude in Playboy Mexico. “They offered me an opportunity to do the shoot,” she said. “I didn’t think it was any big thing. I’m not afraid of anything, and my intention was to do it with artistry, not something vulgar. And it was Playboy, you know? Also, I did not show the expensive things because for that I would have charged an incredible sum.”

 Dokken at Odyssey: The S.A. faves played Odyssey, the Sneakers successor. “It’s a real wonderful time for us. We’ve got rock stations jumping on our new single,” bassist Jeff Pilson told Express-News writer Hector Saldaña. “People have gotten very tired of nonentertainment music, and they want to be entertained again. They want real positive, up music, and our rock is definitely perfect for that.”

MOVIES

 “Stigmata”: Hardly anyone remembers this movie these days, but at the time it set off a “Da Vinci Code”-style controversy, as all movies with a Catholic story line seem to do. The supernatural thriller that drew comparisons to “The Exorcist” starred Patricia Arquette, who also appears in need of an exorcism after her mom sends her beads and a crucifix from Brazil. Soon she’s having apocalyptic visions, and oh yeah, she has the title wounds on her wrist. Predictably, the Catholic League’s William Donohue criticized the movie after having only seen the trailer.

 “Stir of Echoes”: Speaking of supernatural thrillers, Kevin Bacon contributed to the expansion pack of his Six Degrees game by starring in this tale of a blue-collar worker who begins getting signals from “the other side” after undergoing hypnosis at a party. Talk about buzzkill.

Sometimes, with the benefit of hindsight, the most interesting things are in the fine print. Consider this item in Jim Beal Jr.’s “Night Lights” column:

If you’re interested in close-harmony bluegrass/Western music, you’ll be interested in The Dixie Chicks and their Friday show at Cibolo Creek Country Club. The Chicks  Martie Erwin, fiddle, vocals; Laura Lynch, bass, vocals; and Emily Erwin, dobro, banjo, bass, vocals  are based in Dallas but have been taking their unique sound around the globe.

Since releasing their third album, “Shouldn’t a Told You That,” late last year, the Dixie Chicks have toured Europe and stayed on the road. It’s about time someone put the “Western” back into country/Western music.

Also: Remember when we used to have big reggae festivals a couple times a year? Reggae Day in the Park at Sunken Garden was headlined by Inner Circle, which contributed “Bad Boys” to the slice-of-life crime show, “Cops.” And Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme headlined a benefit for the ongoing Empire Theater restoration. The excitement was palpable. And Paul Rodriguez was grand marshal of the Diez y Seis parade.

Sadly, “The Slingshot” doesn’t appear to be available on DVD  a 1996 VHS tape was all that Amazon.com had to offer.

MOVIES

 “A Good Man in Africa”: Need proof that this was a slow movie week? This tale of a crusading doctor (Sean Connery) fighting Third World corruption and other shenanigans was the featured review. I certainly didn’t remember it. John Lithgow costarred as a blundering, bumbling British official.

 “The Slingshot”: Swedish coming-of-age tale set in the 1920s and co-starring Stellan Skarsgärd featured graphic sex scenes. Since the title refers to an enterprising kid who made and sold slingshots made from the condoms his mother sold on the black market, maybe that’s not surprising. Maybe this should have been the featured review.